Gear-cutting machine



(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 L. E. WHITONQ GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 532,127. Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

Qwih/woogo H canoe/44 001 \sl hmlua lbhwo 33) Ga we (No Model.) 10 SheetsSheet 6. L. E. WHITON. GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

No. 532,127. Patented Jan} 8,1895.

, (No lilodel.) 10 SheetsSheet 7.

L. E. WHITON. GEAR GUTTINGVMAGHINEV No. 532,127. PatentedJan. 8', 1895.

10 SheetQ-Sheet s. 1

- (No Modl.)

(No Model.) 10 Sheets-Sheet 9.

L. E; WHITON.

GEAR CUTTING MACHINE. No. 532,127, Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

za a 20 Q 10 Shets-Shet 10'. L. E.-WHITON. GEAR CUTTING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

No. 532,127. Patented Jan. 8; 1'895.

INITED STATES" PATENT FFEE- LUCIUS E. WHI'ION, OF NEW LONDON,CONNECTICUT.

c EAR-CUTTING MACH] N E.

srnorricn'riolv forming part of Letters Patent N6. 532,127,11ated.January 8,1895.

Application filed February 28, I8 94. Serial No. 501,864. (lilo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LUOIUS E. WHITON, a

. citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of NewLondon and State of of work performed, the mechanisms employed are notcomplex.

A particularly valuable feature of my gear.

cutting machine should be noted in the. fact that its various movementsnot only follow each other, automatically, in practical andproper'sequence but that each of said movements is controlled, anddependent upon, the completionof' the next preceding movement sothat thefailure of either of the several elementary mechanisms to work properlywill serve to prevent the starting and operation of all the succeedingmechanisms, thus avoiding all chance of mutilated blanks or otherwisespoiled work.

'A furtherimportant object of my invention is to provide a machine inwhich the several mechanisms are-all positively driven, thus eliminatingthe danger of imperfect action resulting from the use of frictionaldevices,

and avoiding the constant waste of power entailed by such devices aswell as the necessity of careful and frequent adjustment.

To explain my invention most clearly I have provided the annexeddrawings, in which Figure 1 is a front side elevation of a gear cuttingmachine embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a rear side elevation ofthe same. In these views the head 52 (upon which are mounted thecarriages that support the cuttor-shaft) is an integral part of themachine:

bed but in Fig. 3 said head is shown as cast separately and bolted tothe bed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of said gear cutter and Fig. 5. an

endelevation of the same with the machine:

legs removed. This figure also shows broken away the casing of what Iterm a spacing box, which box contains the mechanism'that controls andactuates the spacing of the gear teeth. Fig. 6 is a rear side elevationof the head that supports the cutter shaft carriages and alsoillustrates in section a portion of the bed and of an extension of saidbed which I term the feed box, in which box is located the mechanismthat controls the traversing Fig. 7 is a front movements 'of' thecutter. side elevation of said head and has also a sectional view of thespacing box, illustrating particularly the mechanism by means of whichthe downward feed of the cutter shaft is arrested and the return feedset in operation.

that may be rotated by means of a suitable wrench) to raiseor lower theinitial carriage of the train of carriages that support thecutter shaft,and Fig. 12 is an elevation of the head 52 as viewed from the right handside of Fig. 1, showing mounted thereonsai'd initialcarriage and alsothe next of .the train. Figs. 13, 14 and 15'are, respectively,crosssectional views on lines w-x, y 1 and z-z of Fig. 10 (the carriage76 being removed in Fig. 14), and Fig. 16 is an elevation of a portionof therear (inner) side of carriage 68 illustrating the-manner in whichsaid carriage is chambered to receive and support a spiral gear 108mounted upon a vertical shaft that controls'the cutter-feed. Fig. 17 isa view of a portion of head 52 similar to that shown in Fig. 10,illustrating a screw (for hand use) by means of which the. initialcarriage and its various supports may be raised or lowered independentlyof theautomatic feeding devices. Fig. 18 is a cross sectional View ofthe machine bed having mounted thereon the revoluble spindle thatsupports the gear-blank during the operation of cutting and alsoillustrating worm-gear and shaft connections for revolving saidblank-supporting spindle. Fig. 19 is a detached plan view of saidrevolving spindle and of the carriage upon which it is mounted. Fig. 20is a plan view of the revolving blank support, its worm and worm-shaftand also of a screw-shaft by means of which said blank support may beadjusted upon the machine bed within the limits of its ways. Fig. 21 isa side elevation of the upper portion of the hollow blank-supportingspindle and Fig. 22 is a plan ofa ring secured to said spindle for apurpose hereinafter explained. Fig. 23 shows a portion of the right handend of the machine bed of Fig. 1, and Fig. 2a is a plan of substantiallythe same parts. Fig. 25 shows a cross section of aportion of the rearside of the machine bed having connected therewith certain elements ofthe mechanism that drives the cutter-shaft. Figs. 26 and 27 are side andend views of a clutch shifting mechanism that may be operated by hand tostop the cutter-feed shaft and Fig. 28 is a detached view of aneccentric and an arm operating therewith forming parts of saidclutch-shifting mechanism. Fig. 29 is an end view of the clutch section(121) that controls the cutter-feeding devices and also shows anencircling ring that is used to shunt said clutch section into and outof operative engagement with its companion section. Fig. 30 is anenlarged view of the front face of the spacing box which is, in effect,an extension of the bed 50, and Fig. 31 is a similar view of the rearface of said spacing box. Fig. 32 is a view of a cross-shaft 128 locatedin the spacing box and having mounted thereon certain devices forreleasing at stated times the mechanism that partially revolves theblank supporting spindle to space for the next tooth. Fig. 33illustrates, by end and edge views, the clutch-operating ring referredto in Fig. 29 and also a rocking segment used to shunt said ring. Fig.3a is a detached view of the pawl 170 and ratchet 167 of Fig. 9. Fig. 35shows, detached, one of the gears (139) and a telltale which extendsoutward, through the wall of bed 50 to indicate the positions of thesaid gears relatively to the spline that locks them to the cam shaft.Fig. 36 illustrates certain mechanism provided to shift said spline inits seat to lock either of the gears to the cam shaft. Figs. 37 and 38are face and sectional views of a graduated disk or index used inconnection with the blank spacing mechanism, and Fig. 39 is a plan viewof the clamping device of the said index. Fig. 40 shows, detached fromtheir bearings and other supports, several of the mostimportantshaftsandtheir connections. Figs. 41, 42 and 4:3 illustrate acertain escapement that times and controls the cutter-feeding mechanism,and Figs. 44 and 45 illustrate certain mechanism for automaticallystopping the machine upon the completion of a gear. Figs. 46 and 47 showside and front elevations of the upper end of the lever-arm 178 showingthe bell-hammer 208 pivoted thereto.

In the drawings 50 indicates the bed of my gear cutting machine, 51 itssupporting legs and 52 an upwardly extending head located at one end ofbed 50 and, preferably, formed integral therewith asin Fig. 2, althoughit may be cast separately and bolted to the bed, as in Fig. 3. The upperportion of bed 50 is formed with parallel ways 53 upon which is mountedto slide a carriage 54 (shown on a larger scale in Figs. 18 and 19);said carriage having a downwardly extending shell 55 which is bored toreceive a hollow spindle 56. Said spindle is held against endwisemovement in one direction by an annular enlargement 57 seated in thecounter-bored carriage 51 and in the opposite (upward) direction by aworm gear 58 whose hub abuts the lower end of the shell 55. Gear 58 issecured to and rotates with the spindle 56. Secured to the lower end ofsaid shell is a shield 59 having a lateral extension 60 that is bored toreceive a shaft 61 and counterbored to provide a chamber in which islocated a worm 62 that meshes with gear 58 and, under certainconditions, is brought into service to partially rotate the worm gear.

63 denotes a thimble or bushing screwed into the otherwise open end ofthe extension 60 forming an abutment for one end of worm 62 which latteris splined upon shaft Gland is free to slide thereon. Shaft 61 islocated at what I consider the front side of the machine, being the sideat which the operative naturally stands and is journaled in bearings 64bolted to bed 50. v

Referring now particularly to Figs. 18 and 20, it will be seen that theshell 55 has screwed to it a threaded bracket 65 within which is mounteda screw 66 journaled in the machine bed 50 having one end projectingbeyond said bed as in Figs. 1, 2, 23 and 24. This project ing end isshaped to receive a wrench or, if preferred, may be provided with a handwheel by means of which the screw 66 may be rotated to move theconnected shell 55, carriage 5t and the blank-supporting spindle56,along the ways 53. Screw 66 as here shown has no connection with thevarious automatic mechanisms of my machine but, per contra, is operatedonly by hand whenever it maybe necessary to vary the position of thespindle 56, relatively to the cutter, to accommodate gear -blanks ofgreater or lesser diameter. The exposed end of screw 66 has secured toit a collar67 that is graduated, as shown in Fig. 23, so'that partialrevolutions of said screw may be accurately made to vary the depth ofthe teeth of the gears, by slightly moving the blank toward or away fromthe cutter.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 10 to 17 it will be seen thatthe face of the head 52 is formed with dove-tail ways in which acarriage 68 may slide and I also provide in connection with saidcarriage a screw 69 that is journaled in head 52 and engages a threadedbracket 70 extending laterally from carriage 68 as best seen in Figs. 13and 17. The

'tively to the head 52 and bed 50, as seen in Fig. 6. The exposed faceof plate 75 is formed with ways upon which a carriage 76 is fitted toslide, said carriage being provided with a threaded extension 77 that isengaged and controlled by a screw-shaft 78 journaled in the plate 75 attop and bottom of the latter. The carriage 76 is formed with transverseways in which is fitted a carriage 79 that may thus be adjusted, alimited distance, in a direction at a right angle to the movement of itssupporting carriage 7 6. This transverse carriage may be firmly clamped,after adjustment, by means of a set screw 80 that projects outwardthrough a slot in carriage 76. (See Fig. 13.) The hinged frames 73 and74 are each formed with slotted arc-shaped extensions 81-82 that passrearward alongside the carriage 68 and head 52, when the plate 75and'its attachments are swung to a vert-ical position, as in Fig.7. Bymeans of screws 82, located in the slots of extensions 81-82 and tappedinto carriage 68, the plate 75 may be firmly clamped at any inclinationwithin the limits of the arc-shaped slots.

Journaled in the transversely adjustable carriage 79 is a'shaft 83 oneof whose ends .pro-

jects sufficiently to receive a suitable mill or.

cutter for use in cutting the gear teeth. This projecting end is shownmost clearly in Fig.

4but it is thought unnecessary to show a cut-.

ter attached thereto. Said cutter, when securedu pou shaft 83, shouldregister perfectly with the center of the'mandrel opening in the spindle56 and should there be any variation it may be quickly corrected byeasing back the set screw 80 and sliding the carriage 79 in its waysuntil the desired adjustment is attained.

I will now proceed to describe the mechanism which revolves the shaft 83and the cutter mounted thereon. In the rear portion of the-side walls ofhead 52 is j ournaled a shaft 84 which constitutes the prime mover ,ofmy ,machine' and which bears a pulley 85 that may be driven from anyconvenient counter.- shaft. Upon the rear end of shaft 84 is a bracketarm drilled to provide .two journal bearings 86 and 87 that are at aright angle to each other. One of said bearings 86 sup-. ports a bevelgear 88 and the companion bear ing 87 is mounted upon the projecting endof shaft 84, just inside a bevel gear 89 that may thus mesh with thegear 88 and drive the latter when the shaft 84 isin revolution. Withinbears upon one end a small bevel gear 91 that meshes with a larger gear92 secured to the 'end of the cutter-shaft 83 in such manner that, whenthe initial shaft 84 is started, rotary motion is imparted to the cuttershaft, as will be best understood by reference to Fig. 4 of thedrawings. The end of shaft 90 nearest gear 91 is supported in a journalbearing 93 secured to an arm 94 whose adjacent end is swiveled on themovable carriage 76. The other end of said arm 94 extends parallel withshaft 90 and is slotted, as at 95, to straddle the shaft 84. This mannerof supporting said arm permits free endwise movement and also holds itand the shaft 90 parallel. Whenever it is necessary to vary theinclination of the plate to cut bevel or miter gears, the splined shaftand its supporting arm 94 readily adjust themselves to such changes asalso to all changes of position of cutter carriage 76, yet the severalgears of the" train always remain in mesh.

I will now describe the mechanismv employed to feed the cutter and itssupports downward by a slow and regular movement to cut a tooth, andthen upward by a quick return movement to its point of starting,-calling particular attention to Figs. 2, 4, 5 and 6. Fixed upon theinitial shaft 84, between the side walls of head 52,is a gear 95' thatmeshes with and drives a like gear 96 on a shaft 97 that is alsojournaled in said side walls. the projecting end of shaft 97, at therear side of the machine, is a small spur gear 98 that meshes with anddrives alarger gear 99 which, in turn, drives a small gear 100 on ashort shaft 101 journaled in the rear wall of bed 50 and in a bracket102 secured to said bed. (See Fig. 25) This short shaft bears upon itsinner end, inside the machine bed, a bevel gear 103 that drives asimilar gear 104 mounted loosely on a shaft 105, that is parallel withthe machine bed and extends to a point beneath the carriage 68 on head52, where it terminates in a loosely mounted miter gear 106 that mesheswith a similar gear 107 splined on a vertical shaft 68*. The

Upon

gear 106 is, ordinarily, connected with shaft motion is imparted to theshaft 68 which is journaled in the lower end of carriage 68 and bears aspiral gear 108 (see Fig. 16) that meshes with and drives acorresponding gear 109 mounted upon the shaft 72 already de scribed.

While I have shown and described spiral gearing 'for transmitting motionfrom the shaft-68 to the hinge-shaft 72 I do not wish to be confined tothe use of such spiral gears as miter gears could be successfullysubstituted therefor.

Upon the shaft 72 is a miter gear 110 that meshes with alike gearl 11 onthe screw-shaft 78, also hereinbefore described, and it will now beunderstood that when rotary motion is given to the splined shaft 68 acorresponding motion will be imparted, through the described train ofgearing to said screw-shaft 78 which will at once cause'the carriage 76and the connected cutter-shaft carriage to travel upward or downwardaccording to the direction of rotation of said shaft 68 and it will alsobe understood that by reason of the location of the miter gear 110 onthe shaft 72 (which forms the pintle of the hinged plates 73 and 74) thegears 110 and 111 will remain in operative engagement whether the cutterand its supports are in the vertical position of Figs. 1, 2 and '7 orinclined, as in Fig. 6, to cut bevel gears. The shaft 78 is here showncut as a single thread of ordinary pitch but, when a quick returnmovement is to be desired, said screw-shaft may be out with a double ortreble thread and of increased pitch.

In order to control both the upward and downward movements of thecutter, to obtain the most satisfactory and economical results it isdesirable that the downward, or cutting, movement shall be very slow butthat the upward, or return, movement shall be very rapid and theseresults I am able to attain by providing two separate driving mechanismsfor the shaft 105 of which the described bevel gears 103104 constitutethe quick return driving mechanism. The slower, or feed, movement isimparted to said shaft 105 by a train of gearing best seen in Figs. 2, 6and 40. The shaft of gear 99 (indicated by 99 bears also a small gear112 in mesh with a gear 113 that is adjustably mounted and serves as anintermediate between the said gear 112 and a gear 114 on a short shaft115 journaled in the feed box secured to the bed 50. Secured upon saidshaft 115 is a worm 116 that engages and drives, at a very slow rate, aworm gear 117 loosely mounted on the shaft 105. Through the train ofgearing 112, 113 and 114 the said worm gear 117 is caused to revolve ina direction opposite to that of the quick return gear 104. The latternamed gear (104) is. formed with a long hub which revolves in ashell 118that is fixed in the bed 50. The confronting ends of gear 104 and wormgear 117 are provided with notches or depressions that may be engaged bycorresponding projections 120 at the ends of a sliding clutch-collar 121that is splined to shaft 105. I prefer to provide several depressions inthe shell and worm gear and but two projections 120 at each end of theclutch collar and I also by preference form the said projections asspring-pressed bolts, as clearly seen in Fig. 6 of the drawings so that,when the clutch-collar is shunted on shaft 105 to interlock with eitherof the loose clutch sections, if the projections and notches fail toregister, the projecting bolts may be forced back for an instant andride around until they coincide with their respective notches when thesprings will force them ahead into said notches. By thus providing asplined sliding clutch section adapted to lock with the worm gear 117 atone end or with the bevelgear 104 at the opposite end I am able to lockeither of said gears to shaft 105 and thus rotate said shaft in oppositedirections and at different speeds. To thus slide the clutch section 121I have provided thereon a ring section 122 (see Figs..6, 29, 33 and 40)which has secured to one side a short rack 123 that is parallel with thedesired movement of the clutch section 121.

In order to carry into effect one of the essential principles of mycomplete machine (namely the dependence of each movement upon thecompletion of the last preceding movement) it is necessary that thesliding clutch-section 121 be given three distinct steps or movements;that is to say, first, a movement in one direction to lock with and berevolved by the worm gear 117 to produce the slow feed for the cutter;second, a movement in the opposite direction to lock with the bevel gear104 to set shaft 105 in operation in the opposite direction at increasedspeed, and, third, a limited return movement which shall leave saidclutch section in a neutral position between said gears so that shaft105 and the cutter feed shall be at rest during the time required topartially revolve the blank that is being cut, preliminary to cuttingthe next tooth. To thus control the sliding clutch section, and toproduce these three described movements, I have provided novel mechanismwhich will be best understood if reference is made to Figs. 5, 7, 8, 32,33, 40, 41, 42 and 43.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 40 will be seen the shaft 99, extending nearly acrossthe machine and terminating with a miter gear 124 that meshes with anddrives alike gear 125 mounted loosely upon a shaft 126, said gear 125having an enlarged extension 127 thatforms the loose half part of aclutch whose companion part127 is fixed on the shaft 126. The clutchsection 127 is kept in constant revolution but the companion section andits shaft 126 are only moved at such times as the clutch sections may belocked together.

128 indicates a rock-shaft journaled within the spacing box and havingat one end a gear segment 129 that meshes with the described rack '123on the clutch ring 122 (see Fig. 33), in such manner that the rocking ofshaft 128 will serve to slide said collar and its connected clutchsection; the length and direction of movement of said clutch, beingdetermined by the movements of shaft 1.28.

The miter gear 124 has an extended hub 124 which constitutes the drivinghalf of an intermittently acting clutch similar to 127 and 127 on shaft126 previously referred to. Shaft 99 has also loosely mounted thereon agear 129 which meshes with and at certain times drives a similar, gear130 hung at a point midway the shafts 99 and 128 and this last namedgear bears upon one face a roll 131 which is eccentric to said gear andlies within an opening 132 in a plate 133 secured to shaft 128. Whenevergear 130 is caused IIO . around out of contact with the wall of open- 7ing 132.

Continued movement of said roll at the proper time brings it intocontact with the opposite wall of the opening which is of such widththat said roll moves the plate back to the position shown in full linesin Fig. 43 rocking shaft 128 sufficiently to move the feed clutch intoits neutral position.

The third step, necessary to rock the shaft 128 into the position shownin full lines in Fig. 41 and thus throw into clutch the slow feedmovement of the cutter, is not brought 1 into action until theblank-spacing mechanthe cam shaft 135.

ism has completed its work, but as this third step relatesparticularlytothe feed mechanism justset forth it is thought best todescribe it here. Said third step isobtained through a cam 134 on ashaft 135 that is parallel with shaft 126 but in a lower plane. (SeeFigs. 5 and 40.) This cam 134 engages at the proper time a roll 136 hungin a radial arm 137 fixed on shaft 128 and forces said arm downwardsufficiently far to rock the shaft 128 and slide the clutch section 121into operative engagement with the worm gear 117 thus starting the slowfeed mechanism of the cutter.

Figs. 7 and 40 best illustrate the manner of driving the cam shaft 135.Shaft 126, which has already been referred to, bears upon its inner endone or more gears 138 of difierent diameters that mesh with like gears139 on Gears 138 are fixed on their shaft but the gears 139 are looselymounted and are only connected with their shaft 135 by a sliding spline140 whose ex posed portion is formed as a continuation of shaft 135 andcut with annular grooves to form a rack 141 that may be engaged by apinion 142 on a short shaft or stud 143 arranged to both slide andrevolve in the wall of bed 50. The outer end of shaft 143 is providedwith an operating handle or knob 144 by, means of which said shaft maybe partially rotated to slide the spline-rack 140 and so look either ofthe gears 139 to the cam-shaf t 135 the other gears on said shaftmeanwhile running idly. To lock the shaft143 after adj ustment I haveprovided in the base of knob 144 a pin 145 that may enter one of severalholes in bed 50 and to retain said pin in the holes I have placed aspring 146 on shaft 143 between said bed and the spur gear 142, as inFig. 36. When it is necessary to slide the spline 140 the knob 144 isfirst grasped and drawn outward to release the pin 145. 143 is thenrotated to move the spline, the holes for pin 145 serving to show whenthe proper adjustment has been reached. When knob 144 is released thespring 146 draws shaft 143 inward and the pin 145 then locks the shaftagainst accidental displacement.

Shaft The gears 138139 are of such relative sizes that the speed of thecam-shaft 135 may be Varied by bringing into use the different gearsand, thus, the time allowed for the revolution of shaft 126, and itsconnected mechanism, for shifting the gear blank to space for the nexttooth, may be correspondingly varied, as more fully set forthhereinafter. This is desirable for the reason that, in some instances,it is necessary to allow-more time for the blank-spacing mechanism toact before starting again the cutter-feeding devices.

It will be seen by reference to Figs. 7 and 35 that the gears 139 areeach turned down to provide a hub or boss 146' thatis flattened at oneside; as at 147, said flattened portion being so located relatively tothe spline 140 that when the spline-seats in all of the gears 139 arebrought into coincidence with the spline this flattened portion facesthe front wall of bed 50 and I have located'in said bed spring-pressedbolts 143 whose inner ends are flattened to enter between the gears 139and ride upon the circumferential edges of the hubs 146 and whose outerends project slightly through bed 50, as seen in Fig. 1, to serve asindicators to show when gears 139 are in proper position to allow thespline to be moved by the knob 144, as above dethrou h the s acing boXis a gear 149 that is mounted upon said shaft and clamped in place by anut 150. This gear 149 meshes IOO with a gear 151 mounted on a stud 152that r is adjustably secured to an arm 152. (See Fig. 31.) Gear 151meshes with a gear 153 on the end of the spacing shaft 61 and, bysuitable changes in the train of gearing, the speed of shaft 61relatively to its driver 126, may be Varied at will. Shaft 61 I havealready described as located at the front side of the machine (see Figs.1, 4, l8 and 20) and as having a 'worm' 62 that meshes with a Worm-gear5S controlling the rotary motion of the spindle 56 and of a gear blankheld therein. Whenever the train of gearing 149, 151 and 153 is set inmotion shaft 61 is correspondingly moved. Worm 62, beingsplined on saidshaft, then partially rotates the worm gear 58 and thus moves thegearblank around a suitable distance to receive the next cut. The revolutionof shaft 61 is necessarily very slight as it is desired ordinarily tofeed the gear blank around only a distance equal to one tooth.

I have now described in a general way the several shafts and connectingmechanism for revolving the cutter shaft, for feeding said cutter shaftand returning it to its starting point, for adjusting the blanksupporting carriage on its ways and for revolving said blank supports.

I will now explain in detail various clutches and escapements whichcontrol the starting and stopping of the said shafts and which, as arule, are dependent for their action upon the completion of someimportant preceding movement.

If reference is made to Figs. 1, 4, 5 and 7 it will be seen that thecutter shaft carriage 76 has secured to one side a bracket 76 that isadapted to slide on a rod 154 loosely fitted at its upper end in a stand155 secured to the plate 74 and is connected at its lower end with acrank-arm 156 hung on the projecting end of the hinge pintle 72. Saidarm 156 is also formed with a plate 157 having an arc-shaped slot inwhich is adjustably clamped one end of a rod 158 whose other end isconnected with the upper end of 'a lever 159, that is fulcrumed on astud or screw 1.60 projecting from the head 52. Rod 154 has adjustablymounted thereon two collars 154154, which in practice are so adjusted onrod 154 that they will be engaged by bracket 76 just as the cutter-shaft carriage is about to complete its movement in either direction.Continued movement of said carriage then serves to slide rod 154 in thedirection of the moving carriage. The lower end of the lever 159 isshaped substantially like the fork of an anchor escapement, the arms ofwhich terminate with inwardly projecting ends 159l59 and immediately inthe rear of said fork is a plate 159 that projects downward from the arm159 a considerable distance, as seen in Figs. 7, 41 and 42. Theescapement fork is here illustrated as a curved rib formed upon the faceof the plate 159 and integral therewith.

In Fig. 42itwill be seen that plate 159 lies in an annular groove 129and that its longer end lies between two projecting ends 133 and 133 ofthe plate 133. lVhen the lever-arm 159 is rocked in either directionthis projecting end of the plate 159 acts by engagement with one of theprojections 133'133 to rock the shaft 128 a sufficient distance todisengage the clutch points 120 from the wormgear 117, or quick returngear 104 as the case may be, and thus stop the cutter-shaft carriage.The movement of plate 159 serves also to release the clutch mechanism ofgear 129 permitting it to make a partial revolution thus setting inmotion gear 130 and, by means of eccentric rod 131 to continue therocking motion of shaft 128 begun by plate 159 as above described.

Fig. 40 shows clearly the shaft 99 having fixed thereon the miter gear124 and also the loosely mounted gear 129 before described. Gear 129'has a hub 129 that extends toward and abuts the hub of the miter gear124 and isformed with the annulargroove129". When my machine isassembled the plate 159 of lever 159 lies in said groove 129 (see Fig.42) and the escapement points 159and 159 overlap the hub 129 and areadapted to engage alternately (when lever 159 is rocked) a latch 161that projects radially from said hub 129. The confronting ends of hubs129 and 124 are peculiarly formed to provide a clutch that may bebrought into use wheneverit is desired to lock together said hubs to setin motion the gear 129 and the gear 130. trates most effectually theconstruction of said clutch. The hub 124 is recessed in such manner thatone or more inward projections 124 are provided, the inner edges of saidprojections being concentric with the hub. In Fig. 41 the recessed rimof hub 124 that bears the said inward projections is shown in sectionand immediately in its rear is seen the end of the hub 129 which haspivoted therein near one edge the radial latch 161 above referred to.The body portion of said latch is substantially circular and is seatedin a corresponding recess in the end of hub 129 the radial arm of saidlatch projecting outward beyond the circumference of the hub. Thecircumferential opening or slot through which the latch end projects isenlarged in one direction so that the projecting end of the latch may attimes be rocked and folded down nearly to said circumference. The innerhalf of the circular body of latch 161 is formed with a projection 161that extends into the recessed rim of the hub 124. When the latch is inits normal position, as in Fig. 41, the outer edge of the projection 161allows the projections 124 of the constantly revolving hub 124 to passfreely by, but whenever the latch is permitted to rock in its seat theheel of the projection 161 is swung outward into the path of one of saidprojections 124 and the two hubs 124 -129 are immediately lockedtogether and the'gear 129 is caused to revolve. A spring 162, on the endof hub 129, seeks constantly to rock the latch 161 into position forsuch engagement. The clutch section 124 travels constantly in thedirection indicated by the arrow in Fig. 41.

When the escapement lever 159 is rocked on its fulcrum its projectingpoints 159' and 159 are swung alternately into the path traversed by theprojecting end of latch 161 and serve as stops to check said latch aswell as the hub 129 to which it is secured. The sudden stopping of thelatch also serves to swing its end outward, against the force of itsspring 162, thus throwing the heel of projection 161 out of lockingengagement with the projections 124 of the constantly revolving hub 124,when hub 129 and its gear 129' stop.

WVhile the feed clutch 121 on shaft 105 is in engagement with the wormgear 117 the cutter carriage 76 moves slowly downward until the bracket76 engages the collar 154 and forces the rod 154 downward, when theescapement lever 159 is rocked from the position shown in Fig. 41 tothat of Fig. 42, releasing latch 161 from the point 159. Spring 162 thenrocks said latch in its circular bearing bringing the heel of itsprojection 161 into the path of the revolving points 124' one of whichimmediately looks with said heel and starts the hub 129 and its gear129'. Simultaneously the gear 130 is revolved and the cam-roll 131forces plate 133 over into the position in full lines in Fig. 42. Thismovement of plate 133 rocks shaft 128, and the segment Fig. 41 illus-129 on its other end slides clutch 121, on shaft 105, into engagementwith the quick return gear 104 and starts the cutter-shaft carriage 76upward at a rapid rate. So'soon as the bracket 76 of said carriagereaches the collar 154 the rod 154 is moved upward and the escapementlever is rocked to release the end of latch 161 from the point 159' ofsaid escapement. The latch is then rocked by its spring and looks withone of the points 124' and gear 129' is again started forward but isimmediately checked by the anchor-point 159. This limited movement,instead of rocking plate 133 and shaft 128 sufficiently to slide clutch121 back into engagement with the wormgear 117, serves to bring saidclutch back only halfway, to a point where the bolts 1 are out ofengagement with their respective notches at both ends of the clutchwhen, for a time, the cutter-shaft carriage 76 is at rest, and, duringthis time of rest, the spacing mechanism is set in motion, as I shallnow explain.

Reference-to Figs. 7, 8, 9, 32,44 an'd,45 will help to explain severaldisks, pawls, shields, &c., mounted upon the rock-shaft 128. I havereferred already to clutch-disks 127 and 127' on shaft 126, the former(127) being loose on said shaft and constantly revolving while thelatter (127) is fixed on said shaft and only revolves when clutched tothe section 127. Section 127 is provided with a rock-latch 127 of thesame form as the latch 161 described in detail above and the companionsection'127 has one or more inward projections identical in form andaction with the projections 124' .and adapted to lock with said latch127 Upon shaft 128, nearlyin vertical alignment with shaft 1.26, is adisk 163 whose rim is provided with notches 164 of such size and depththat the projecting end of latch 127 may pass therethrough at suchtimesas the disk 163 is revolved to bring the spaces or notches 164 intothe circular path of said latch. At other times the solid portions ofthe disk 163, between said notches, serve as stops that check the latch127 and, by rocking the latter in its circular seat, disengage the twodisks 127- 127 and thus stop the latter and its shaft 126,

as well as the connected blank-spacing mech-' anism and cam-shaft 135.The moving and timing of the notched disk 163, to thus control thespacing mechanism, forms one of. the essential and novel features ofmyinvention. Said notched disk is loosely mounted on shaft 128 and isformed with an extended hub on which is fastened, by a'set screw 165, adisk 166 which also has a hub on which is mounted a ratchet disk 167,whose teeth equal in number the notches of disk 163. Said notched diskand ratchet are here shown as separate pieces, because more easilyadjusted into proper relation if so constructed, but operate as onepiece only and maybe so constructed if desirable. Next to said ratchetdisk is a plate 168 that is secured to shaft 128 and bears a springpressed pawl 169 adapted to .coact with said ratchet teeth. When thepawl-plate 168 is rocked in one direction its pawl 169 partially rotatesthe ratchet-disk and also the connected notched-disk 163 to bring one ofthe notches 164 into coincidence with the latch 127 to release saidlatch or, per contra, to move said disk 163 properly to check saidlatch.

170 indicates a plate that is loosely mounted on the ratchet-disk 167and has an upwardly extending arm to which is attached anoperatinghandle17lthatextendsoutward through the wall of bed 50 as bestseen in Figs. 4 and 5. Hung in the lower side of this plate 170 is aspring pressed pawl 172 that also engages the teeth of the ratchet 167.By grasping handle 171 of this pawl-plate 17 O, and slightly rocking thesame, the ratchet 167 and the connected notched disk 163 may be rockedindependently of the pawl 169 which latter 9 is intended to be operatedautomatically by the rocking of the shaft 128.

Upon the hub of the pawl-plate 168 IS a rocker-plate or shield 173 (seeFigs. 9, 44 and 45) whose rim is, in the main, circular but is cut awayas at 174, adjacent to the pawl 169. The end of said pawl has alaterally extending portion 169 which overlaps the said shield 173. Whenthe shield is in its normal position, that is to say, while a gear isbeing cut, the pawl and shield occupy the relative positions shown inFig. 44, when the pawl 169 is free to engage the teeth of the ratchetdisk 167, but whenever shield 173 is rocked as shown in Fig. 45 (whichoccurs just before the .finishing of a gear) the circular edge 175 ofsaid shield prevents the pawl from engaging'with said ratchet. A portionof the edge of shield 173 is cut with gear teeth 176'that mesh withteeth 177 on a lever 178 hung on a stud 179. The upper end of said leveris connected with a spring, 180 (see Fig. 9) that seeks constantly todraw said upper end in the direction indicated by the arrow in saidfigure. The upper end of said lever is also connected with a rod 181that extends along the front of the machine (see Figs. 1, 4, 18 and 19)and has adjustablyconnected therewith, by set screw 182, a crankarm 183secured to a shaft 184. This shaft bears a gear segment 185that mesheswith a rack 186 mounted in the carriage 54 and whose end serves as abolt that may enter a notch 187 in a ring 188 clamped upontheenlargement 57 of the hollow spindle 56, by a set-screw 189. (SeeFig. 18.)

When a gear-blank has been spaced to receive its last out, notch 187 isbrought into coincidence with the end of bolt 186, but said bolt is keptfrom shooting forward into the notch by a stud 178 projecting laterallyfrom the lower arm of the lever 178, which stud abuts, for the time, aprojection 168 on the pawl-plate 168. 'Stud 178 is attached to a bolt178 whose lower end is headed and bears a spring 178 that seeksconstantly to draw the bolt and stud 178 downward, but which may yieldslightly, as will be understood from the drawing In order to attract theattention of the operative to the completion of a gear,l have providedan alarm that acts when the last tooth of the gear has been cut and uponthe commencement of the final quick return movement of the cuttercarriage. This alarm consistsof a bell 207 fixed to the spacing box (seeFig. 1) and rung by a hammer 208 attached to the upper end of lever 178within the spacing box. Said hammer is pivoted to the lever 178 as shownin Fig. 46, and projects through a slot in the spacing box, as seen inFig. 1. Referring now to Fig. 8, the enlarged hub 127 of miter gearbears a small projection 127. The rocking of shaft 128 to slide clutch121 also serves to rock the pawl-plate 168 backward when the projection168 passes below the end of stud 178 and spring immediately rocks lever178into the position of Fig. 45 and causesthe bolt 186 to shoot forwardinto notch 187. When lever 178is thusswunginto the position of Fig. 45by the completion of the cutting of a gear, as described, the shorterend of the hammer 208 is moved into the path of the projection 127 andsaid hammer is lifted by said projection at each revolution of hub 127.As said projection passes out of contact with the hammer the latter iscaused to strike the bell by means of a spiral spring 209 shown in Fig.46. The rocking of lever 178 also serves to partially rotate the shield173, bringing its projecting portion 175 beneath the end of pawl 169,thus preventing the operative engagement of said pawl with the ratchetdisk 167. Meanwhile the cutter car; riage, has been carried to itshighest position by the quick return mechanism,and the bracket 76'engages the collar 154' to rock the escapement lever 159 and, throughits connections, rock the shaft 128 to slide clutch 121 into itsintermediate position, when the cutter carriage stops. Ordinarily whenshaft 128 is thus rocked to bring clutch 121 into its intermediateposition, pawl 169 engages the ratchet disk to rock the notched disk 163and so set in operation the spacing shaft 61, but it will be rememberedthat the shield 173 has now been rocked to throw said pawl out ofengagement with the ratchet disk and, consequently, the pawl rides idlyon the raised portion 175 of the shield, and the several operations ofthe machine are practically at a standstill. The operator then swingslever 178 into the position of Fig. 44 thus moving the bell-hammer outof the path of the projection 127 thus stopping the alarm. After a newblank has been substituted for the cut one the handle 171 of the pawlplate 170is grasped and rocked to the left hand (as viewed from thefront side of the machine) thus causing its pawl 172 to partially rockthe shaft 128 and bring one of the spaces 16% coincident with latch127*. This movement of the disk 163 releases the latch 127 which, byreason of its spring, is rocked in its circular seat and at once lockswith the constantly revolving clutch section 127 and begins to rotatewith the latter, thus starting the shaft 126 which through the gearing14:9151 and 153, starts the spacing shaft 61 and partially rotates theblank-support to take up all backlash and bring the blank into positionto cut its first tooth. So soonas the shaft 126 is thus gears 138-139 tothe cam shaft 135 and as said shaft revolves, the cam 131 engages roll136 and rocks shaft 128 and plate 133 into the position shown in Fig.41. Two important results are attained by thus rocking shaft 128. First,the notched disk 163 is rocked with said shaft and brings one of theteeth or partitions (between the notches 164) into the path of the latch127 resulting in stopping said latch and throwing it out of lockingengagement with the constantly revolving section 127, when shaft 126,and the connected blankspacing mechanism, as well as the cam-shaft 135,stop, and second, the rocking of shaft 128 by cam 13% also serves,through the segment 129, to slide the clutch 121 into lock with theworm-gear 117 and thus start the slow feed movement of the cuttercarriage.

It will thus be seen that, upon the completion of each important step oroperation, certain mechanism controlling the next succeeding importantstep, is released and started into action and that if, for any reasonwhatsoever, any one of the important mechanisms fail to act allsucceeding operations will be held in check and will not be allowed toopcrate. It will be seen also that the various mechanisms are all drivenpositively by means which consume power only while in action, thuspreventing any drag upon the machine, and all undue wear of the parts.

While my described gear cutting machine is particularly designed to workautomatically, provision is made so that the cutter carriage may be fedby hand if desired, thus making my machine more valuable for generalmachine shop use.

By referring to Figs. 26, 27, 28 and 4.0, it will be seen that I haveprovided on shaft 105 a splined clutch section that may co-act with acompanionclutch section 191 on the end of the hub of the loosely mountedmiter gear 107. Section 190 is formed with an annular groove in whichlies theforked end of an arm 193 which is movable in a directionparallel with shaft 105. The other end of said arm 193 is connected by acrank 194: with a rock-shaft 195 extending toward and through the frontwall of the machine bed and having secured to it, outside said bed, anoperating handle 196 by means of which the shaft 195 may be rocked tothrow the clutch section 190 into or out of engagement with thecompanion section 191, as will be understood by the drawings. When thesaid clutch sections are disengaged, as in Fig. 40, the automaticstarted, motion is also imparted through the feed mechanisms for thecutter-carriage, both slow and quick return,become inoperative and inorder to move said cutter-carriage I extend the hinge pintle or shaft 72(see Fig. 4.) so that an ordinary crank, or hand wheel, may be fixed onsaid extension with which to rotate said pintle by hand and thus feedthe cutter carriage upward or downward, as may be desired.

My machine is also adapted for hobbing worm gears and this withoutrequiring any changesin the described construction. When the machine isto be so utilized a hobbing cutter, identical in pitch and size with theworm or screw, which is to be used with the worm-gear, is secured on thecutter shaft 83.

feeding mechanisms and the devices which form the connecting linkbetween said mechanisms and the shaft 126, it is only necessary to rockthe lever 170 and through its pawl 172, rock the disk 163 until one ofthe notches of the latter is made to register with the latch 127. SaidLatch,being thus released, immediately locks with the clutchsection' 127and shaft 126 begins torevolve. Through the train of gearing 149 -151153 the shaft 61 is, simultaneously started andlinasmuch as the devicesthat ordinarily control the notched disk 163 are thrown out of 1 servicethe latch 1,27 will continue to revolve, passing without hinderan'cethrough the coincident notch of a said disk 163. Thus the hobbing cutterand the worm-gear blank are revolved continu a ously, the cuttergradually'cutting its way into the blank.

- In order to thus utilize my machine for 1 hobbing 3 it is, of course,necessary that the blank and cuttershall be driven at the same relativespeeds that the finished gear and its coacting worm will have when putto use and this I amable to accomplish by suitably changingone or all ofthe gears 149-151 and 153. In order to produce this result conveniently,I prefer to so organize the machine that the speed of the constantlyrevolving element 127 coincides with that of the cutter shaft, whichresult is accomplished by making the ratio of the gearing connectingthis element (127) and the driving shaft 81 equal to that connectingsaid shaft 84 to the cutter shaft.

. Fig. 5 illustratesa bolt 197 that is fitted to vided with a knob orhead 199 and its-upper end engages the 'end wall of a spiral cam groove127 out on the clutch section 1 27. When the clutch section 127' is setin motion, the said cam gradually forces bolt 197 0111;- Ward until acomplete revolution of the cam has been made, when the bolt snaps fromthe highest to the lowest point of the cam and then serves as a lock toprevent backward rotation of the clutch section 127. The end of latch127 resting against the notched disk 163, serves at the same time toprevent said section from revolving in the opposite direction. By thuslocking the section 127'against rotary movement in either direction alltendency to work loose or become displaced is forestalled and prevented.It should be noted that the bolt end 197 is beveled at one side in suchmanner that if the clutch section 127 should fail to make a completerevolution or,

if the shock resulting from the sudden impact of latch 127 against thenotched disk should cause section 127 to recoil slightly, the point ofbelt 197 will enter and be forced home by spring 198.

When my machine is to be used for hobbing, as above explained, it isdesirable that bolt 197 be withdrawn so that it may not act as a drag onthe then constantly revolving clutch section 127'. So I have slotted thesaid bolt longitudinally as at 200 and have out a short lateral notch atthe upper end of said slot. Through the slot thus provided I have passeda pin 201 that is seated in the wallof the-spacing box. When'it isdesired to withdraw'bolt 197 from operativeengagement with the cam 127it may be quickly and effectujally done by drawing the bolt downward and"turningit a partial revolution, causing the said lateral notch to passover the pin 201.

When my machine is to be used for hobhing worm-gears the gear 98 shouldbear the same ratio to gear 99 as the bevel gear 91 does to gear 92. I h1 Figs. 37, 38, 39 and 40 illustrate a graduated coupling, whichconnects shaft 126 with gear 149 or, more properly with the collar onwhich said gear is mounted. Fig. 38 explains most clearly theconstruction and arrangement of the various parts of said coupling.Keyed upon shaft 126 is adisk 202 whose face is cupped to receive acircular plate 203 whose entire periphery is finely serratedas at 20;and whose exposed face is grad uated to correspond to said serration.Said plate is here shown as formed with three hundred and sixtyserrations but the number is not material. Dove- .tailed in the outeredge of disk 202 is a plate 205 arranged to interlock with ascrew 206that is tapped into the edge ofsaid disk 202' as clearly seen in Fig.38. The inner end of plate 205 is curved and serrated to conform to theserrated periphery of the graduated plate 203. By partially unscrewingthe screw 206 the plate 205 may be moved in its ways to release itsserrations from those of the plate 203, when the latter namedplate maybe revolved within disk 202. The projecting portion of shaft 126 isreduced in diameter and has mounted thereon a collar 207 provided withan annular flange 208 over which is fitted a rabbeted ring 209 that issecured to the graduated plate 203 by screws 210 and serves to clamp theflanged collar 207 firmly to the graduated plate. Collar 207 is turneddown, as at 211, and splined to receive the initial gear 149 of thetrain that transmits motion from shaft 126 to the spacing shaft 61.

It is frequently found desirable, in fact necessary,to adjust thespacing shaft 61 without disturbing its driving shaft 126 as, forexample, in making two or more cuts through a single tooth to providegreater clear space or in cutting bevel gears which, to be correct,should have both the teeth and intervening spaces converging to the apexof the pitch cone and this can be accomplished only by setting over theblank slightly after a single cut has been made and making a second outwhich, instead of being parallel with the first cut, will lead towardsaid apex and thus produce teeth and spaces that are gradually narroweras they approach sai-d apex. The described graduated coupling makes itboth possible and easy to thus adjust shaft 61 independently of theshaft 126, it being only necessary to unscrew thescrew 206 and withdrawthe serrated plate 205 from the edge of the graduated plate 203 whensaid plate as well as the collar 211, the train of gearing 149, 151, 153and shaft 61 may be rotated without disturbing shaft 126 and its disk202. By utilizing the graduated plate 203 a succession of fineadjustments may be accurately made if desired. After such adjustment hasbeen made the screw 206 is screwed home to force the sliding plate 205into locking engagement with the serrated edge of plate 203. Thecoupling thus provided is then as strong and effectual, for the purposein hand, as if the gear 149 was secured immediately to the shaft 126.

Should it be desired to disconnect the described coupling, so that theshaft 61 may be freely revolved, the screws 210 may be unscrewed, whenthe flanged disk 207, to which the gear 1&9 is secured, may revolvefreely in the ring 209. i It will thus be understood that either a veryfine adjustment of the coupling sections may be attained (by means ofscrew 206 and plate 205) or that said coupling sections may be entirelydisengaged by releasing screws 210.

. I have referred briefly to the notched ring 188 that is located on theblank-supporting spindle 56 and whose notch may coact with bolt 186under certain conditions. is adjustable in its seat and is intended toregister with the bolt 186 when the blank has been spaced for the lasttooth. For greater convenience and accuracy in settingthe ring 188 Ihave graduated its circumferential edge as at 185 and have provided azero mark on This ring,

the carriage 5t over the bolt 186. In cutting ordinary gears it is onlynecessary to start with the bolt 188 coincident with the notch of ring188. When, however, it is desired to cut gear-segments the ring 188should be so arm 133, I wish it understood-that while this is mypreferred form, owing to its adaptation to the shape and location of theparts, yet any equivalent rocking device set in motion by means of thedescribed intermittent clutch, is within my invention. Referring also tothe. described construction of intermittent clutches mounted on shafts99 and 126, I wish to state that any equivalent positively driving.intermittent clutch suited to the requirements asset forth in theforegoing specification, falls within my invention as applied toautomatic gear cutting machines; the construction shown being mypreferred form of such clutch.

I wish also to define my use of the terms intermittently, intermissions,&c., in

describing and claiming the movements of the cutter-carriage of myimproved machine, as referring :to intentionally designed and prolongedperiods of rest, during which other movements of various parts of themachine occur, as herein described, in contradistinction to themomentary periods of rest common to the cutter-carriages of other gearcutting machines at the point of reversal, which'are incidental only,and due to the disengagement of the feeding clutch while passing theneutral point between the clutch drivers. In the machines of this class,already well known, the cutter-carriages may properly be said toreciprocate rather than to move intermittently.

Having described my invention, and the manner in which it is operated, Iclaim as new and wish to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a gear cuttingmachine, the combination of a blank-holder, automatic mechanism forrevolving said holder intermittently, a

cutter carriage mounted to slide as set forth,

and automatic mechanism for moving said cutter carriage intermittently,all substantially as specified.

2. In a gear cutting machine, the combination with a suitable frame, ofa sliding out-

